New Sweden Grange organized with 17 charter members. First master was F. O. Landgren. First secretary Solomon Johnson. First chaplain J. O. Wickstrom. (All three deceased by 1966). Later grange records note that some of the regular grange sessions which were then held on Saturday afternoons, drew an attendance of 77 members compared to the final year’s attendance which was not sufficient to fill the 13 officer’s chairs. Also noted in one of the earliest of secretaries reports was the purchase price of half a cord of kindling wood which was 50 cents and a half cord of hard wood which was $1.25.
A large pencentage of members have been awarded the Silver Star certificate for 25 years of consecutive grange membership and 12 or more members have received the coveted Golden Sheaf Award for 50 or more years of membership.

Reported on March 4, 1966 by the Bangor Daily News (from the archived files of charlotte Lenentine Melving):

Grange met for the final session on Saturday night at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Nelson. Unanimous vote was recorded for the dissolvement of New Sweden Grange No. 315 and surrender of the grange charter due to lack of member attendance.
Approximately 100 members from Stockholm, Woodland, Westmanland and New Sweden are on the Grange roster with a high of 150 members, registered in previous years.
Youngest master to serve was Forrest Nelson at age 16.
Only three women served as Master’s: Alice Nelson, Mrs. Madge Nelson, Mrs. Beatrice Farrington
Any granger in good standing and on the grange membership may apply to the secretary, Mrs. Charles Hicks for a demit, to join another grange. The Grange Hall, located on a town lot which was formerly the Capitol School has automatically reverted to the town, an agreement at the time of purchase.

“The building was donated by the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad. This building was used at one time as a car house and to store equipment in New Sweden. The entrance door is wide for the purpose of bringing in the large mail and baggage cart or motor cart. The motor car on the track in front replaced the hand car to check sections of tracks from one station or section house to another. In the beginning there was one in every town.”

It is sad to say but true. The Swedish language is slowly dying here in Maine Swedish Colony. Local filmmakers Brenda and Alan Jepson have recently released their lastest DVD which chronicles the importance of the Swedish language to the culture of the community. Several Swedish speakers are interviewed, including Floyd Jepson and Edmund Anderson, both no longer with us. Another interviewee is Lewis Peterson.

Dan Olson, narrator and language consultant for the film, conducts personal conversations with local people in Swedish. The focus of the interviews centers on living on the farms in the old days and what life entailed in those times.

Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) recently aired an interview with the filmmakers. Follow the link to read the transcription and to listen to the rich audio which includes Swedish music, the Swedish interviews, and English translations.

Here’s something that would be fun to have a chance to try out someday soon. Certainly it would be great exercise, unless you are the passenger! Here is the link to the blog with some photos. Kick-sleds are still used in Sweden in the rural areas of the country. If memory serves me, I think there may be an old one in the basement of the New Sweden museum, but it will be spring until the museum is open again to check it out!

Two Swedish Colony artists are featured in downtown Presque Isle, ME at First Friday Downtown Art Walks tonight, Friday evening Jan. 7, 2011. Richard Clark of Perham, owner of Wood’s Edge Gallery, will show his landscapes at Morning Star Art & Framing from 6-8 PM. Alan and Brenda Nasberg Jepson of Crown of Maine Productions are showing their video work across the street at Stew’s Sight and Sound. Refreshments will be served! Several other artists within walking distance will also show new work. FMI on the event see the Facebook page for First Friday Downtown Art Walk